Students who say the wrong thing at Canada's Queen's University may soon get a lesson from the conversation cops. The Kingston University has hired "student facilitators" to roam the campus and step in when they happen to overhear remarks bashing women, racially tinged insults or any language that could be considered offensive. See the Globe and Mail.  Â

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That means tête-à -têtes in the residence hallways may no longer be just between friends.

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"If people are having a conversation with offensive content and they're doing it loud enough for a third person to hear it ... it's not private," said Jason Laker, dean of student affairs at Queen's.

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"If you're doing anything that's interfering with what other people need to be doing, that's not cool."

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The initiative, believed to be the first of its kind in Canada, is part of a broader program begun at the school this fall to foster diversity and encourage students to think about their beliefs.

Under the program, six student "facilitators" will live and work within campus residences. Their mission is to spontaneously engage students with book readings, movie nights and discussion on social issues, and then to step in if a conflict arises.Â

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What if student's are uncomfortable if they are called out about something they say? Mr. Laker says that's not a bad thing. "I would go further. I would say it's a beneficial tension."Â

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Do you think this borders on the oppressive? Some of Queen's students certainly do, and they are worried that their freedom of expression will be lost. The campus newspaper, Queen's Journal, published an editorial which actually criticized the new program as a "lacklustre" attempt to handle social issues that could backfired and actually create antagonism among students.Â

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Angela Hickman, managing editor of the newspaper, said "[h]aving a program like this in place could stifle public discussion if people are worried their private conversations are being monitored."Â Many students also wish their discussions could remain among themselves, rather than having a "facilitator" join in to point out the error of their thoughts.Â

Don't these students realize that they have to be trained how and what to think these days? They shouldn't be so worried about freedom of expression and just get with their college's program.